1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept is directed to a method, apparatus, and computer readable storage medium directed to a networked gaming system that allows an unlimited number of players to bet on simultaneous live dealers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Casino gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry. Currently players can play table games (such as blackjack, baccarat, etc.) at dedicated tables with a dealer. A main drawback of this paradigm is the increasing overhead that the casino is responsible for each table (e.g., paying the dealer, pit staff, surveillance, etc.) Because of the large overhead, it may be impractical for casinos to offer live table games that have low minimum wagers. For example, it is rare to see a $5 minimum blackjack or baccarat table game these days at a casino.
A cheaper alternative for casinos is to use video table game machines which can use a virtual (electronic) dealer to deal games such as baccarat and blackjack without requiring human resources. A drawback to this approach is that many players do not take well to these machines as they prefer to see a live human dealer deal the game. Additionally, some players mistrust the use of such machines as they suspect the results may be rigged by the house. A virtual game's outcome is predetermined by computer, whereas a live dealer game outcome, using a fair deck of cards, occurs naturally (the outcome is not predetermined prior to the dealing of cards).
Therefore, what is needed is a system that allows players to play table games with human dealers but reduces the amount of overhead required for such games, thereby making it practical to offer live table games with low table minimums.